Moving to Austin - need input

Vailias

I mentioned this in the sketchgroup thread, but I figure I could use some input.

My wife and I have decided to move to Austin come end of February, for the lower cost of living and more importantly the chance of having a career. I'm unfamiliar with the town, so I come to you to ask for input.

Are there any areas of town that one should steer clear of?
IS there any inexpensive housing/apartments you'd recommend? IE something I can afford on a McJob(hourly) of some sort.

The public transit/bus system seems pretty good, is it?

And just for kicks, any studios you guys work at in need of)or soon to be in need of) a Junior Artist?

Thanks in advance for any input. Its going to be most useful over the next month or so.

Spark

Hey Vailias, I don't know the Austin area that well even though it was nice when I visited. Not sure on how easy it will be to get a jr position, especially since Startime studios just closed down, along with Midway letting go 10-15% of its employees, so Austin will be a difficult place to get in I would suspect. Dallas, also has quite a few places that are good companies, though not as nice of an area. Good luck with whatever you do, and I am sure there are more than enough Austin polycounters to help suggest some ideas.

Spark

Vito

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Are there any areas of town that one should steer clear of?

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No idea.

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IS there any inexpensive housing/apartments you'd recommend? IE something I can afford on a McJob(hourly) of some sort.

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East of I-35 is often lower-income and minorities, except for the parts that are gentrifying, and all of it is slowly gentrifying. One house might sell for over 300k and another might not hit 150k in some East Austin neighborhoods.

Living downtown is expensive, even if you live in student housing, because there's such a shortage of it. I bought the most house I could afford as close to downtown and as near a college bus route as I could possibly get, and I'm still considered "North Austin" because I'm north of 51st Street and "East Austin" because I'm east of I-35. There's a low-income housing development nearby, for example.

cheeseplus lives just southeast of downtown. r13 lives way up north, at least 30 minutes from downtown.

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The public transit/bus system seems pretty good, is it?

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It's not bad, but it doesn't go everywhere. There's only one express route that goes from anywhere near my house to downtown; otherwise, I have to transfer at least once and it takes me an hour, and I'm only eight miles north of my downtown office.

Parnell

Just a heads up.
Spacetime Studios (not Startime) did not get closed done. NCSoft canceled the project and thus they laid off some workers...they are however still kicking it as they look for new funding.
B

Vailias

Thanks for the tips
I really can't wait to get there, but I know the next month will pass far to quickly anyway.

I'll see some of you guys at the sketchgroups I imagine. I miss having a regular sketch/art time and with people I'm at least familiar with, it will be all the better.